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Aether
Aether āthû is one of the three core properties of existence (energy) and is the living force of the universe as opposite to the void. All living things are made of this energy, and all matter is permeated by it. The flow of this energy facilitates and allows all change that occurs, and all living things on a fundamental level are connected through this force. The execution of magic requires control and manipulation over the direction and flow of aether. The energy itself can change it's own properties as a result of its environment or the direct influence of an external force. The most commonly known result of this effect is the omnipresent occurrence of "corruption", which is a permanent altering of a source of aether, and the direct cause of the ubiquitous undead throughout the world. Aether may be found in denser concentrations in some creatures and individuals, and can increase the efficacy of any attempts at magical application. Mortal souls are incorporeal manifestations of aether, and if one is fatally wounded, the aether will drain rapidly from their solid body. Despite the necessary use of aether in regards to magic, the disdain that numerous cultures hold towards wizards does not extend to the aether itself, as it is considered a natural and necessary energy for any and all life to exist and propagate. Concept and History Origins and early studies The oldest recorded concept of aether is described in an ancient collection of accounts from numerous unaccredited sources compiled by the philosopher Armaus in the text Libermachta, ''as part of a record of study referring to the collective teachings of the living divines. The source claims influence directly from divine sources, and describes the history of creation. Before the aether, the void was all, and extended endlessly. When the void was torn open by the "Ausge" (void), aether came into existence. It is stated that this flow is necessary for anything to take shape of any permanence. The text describes the first thing coalesced by the aether was the god Yelna (Yarna Yari) who, in congruence with the accounts of the ''Theogeny, created a chain of more and more complex living beings, and all through the manipulation of the flow of aether, allowing or forcing it to coalesce. Properties Aether is, at its most fundamental, an energy. This energy permeates all matter and flows through it. A living being is animate due to it having its own aether, and aether can naturally affect matter. It tends to coalesce in living matter, and if the aether is forcibly removed from a life form it will expire almost instantly. It can be collected forcibly and even stored to achieve or prepare for magical effects. Its application is the primary component in all magic. Certain material substances or shapes can have dramatic effects on how aether flows and affects matter. For instance, the structure of a crystal can store aether and amplify its output. The energy by its own nature attempts to flow unabated, however, and if the control or storage of it is not carefully executed, it can often result in violent effects, from a spell backfiring and killing its caster to a sudden tearing of reality. When condensed or forced, aether is capable of exhibiting properties of solid matter, and can directly affect the physics of other matter via pushing, pulling, etc. Types of Aether In certain historical texts, aether can be one of multiple types of energy. Certain beliefs and schools of thought posit that the three core properties of the universe (energy, matter, and void) are all unique forms of aether, and can be manipulated with the right applications and tools. Due to the events of the divine cataclysm, there are only two universally agreed upon fundamentally different types of aether. There is the living aether, which was born of the void, coalesced life, and flows through all things, and corrupted aether. This aether, while unique, is created from and consumes living aether. The "scar" left of the world due to the divine cataclysm resulted in a slow, permanent spread of this corruption. Corrupted aether animates matter that was once living, and can affect almost all expired organic life. If a living creature's aether becomes corrupted or is replaced with corrupted aether, the effect is permanent, and the status of unliving can only be removed by destruction of the host (see undeath for details). Certain academic studies consider a separation from mortal and divine aether, and consider the divines to be of their own, unique, concentrated aether. These claims posit that divine beings (gods) are made of pure aether, condensed so strongly as to permanently resemble matter, and this being the source of their power. Other accounts of religion and history claim that the Ephemerals are conscious aether, or that the aether itself is or can be conscious. According to the Theogeny, which does not contain much knowledge of the properties of aether, the devourer god Kerrakulpa is made of an extradimensional force that is considered its own aether.